Tom StevensonPresident
Farming Division
OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON US
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?•In the Past?
•In the Present?
•In the Future?
PAST TO PRESENT - IDusting Pecan tree with Mule
PowerCurrent Spraying Technology
PAST TO PRESENT - IIShaking Pecan Trees onto Canvas Modern Pecan Harvester
THE FUTURE – ON THE WAYDriverless Tractor Driverless Air Blast Sprayer
The Future, with an estimated 200,000 new acres in the past 10 years in North America
WHERE WILL OUR MARKETS BE?ASIA, INDIA, AFRICA, EUROPE, UNITED STATES?
Potentially One Billion Pounds in 5-10 years in No. America.
PECAN MARKETING IN THE FUTURE
•Cash to the grower?
•Grower pools?
•Co-ops?
SUPPLY AND DEMAND• Pecans are a global commodity DEPENDANT ON EXPORTS.
• Almonds are reportedly now beginning to have trouble maintaining pricing as the thousands of new acres recently planted are coming
into full production.
• Our ability to export is dependent on politics and pricing.
GROWER ORGANIZATIONS•American Pecan Board
•US Pecan Council•Regional Grower Organizations•State Grower Organizations and
Commodity Boards•Can they keep up?
VERTICAL INTEGRATION• Large companies that grow, process and market are
here and expanding rapidly.
• Price competition to a point.
• Ability to sit on the side lines.
WHAT CAN THEY DO BETTER?• Economies of scale in selling and buying.
• Afford to invest in new technology.• On the farm.• In the plant.
• Sales
LABOR•Immigration.•Local labor.
•Robots.•Driverless equipment.
WAGES AND WORK HOURS• Higher minimum wages.
• Loss of overtime exemption.• Once a few more states start chipping at the wall, more will
follow, as will the federal government.
•WORKERS WILL MIGRATE TOHIGHER PAY AND LESS HOURS!
IT’S THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLDNOT THE END!
• The future lies before us. The past is gone. Be pro-active.
• The present is the time when we can plan for our future.
• Someone once told me that 1% of the people in the world decide what happens, the second 1% make it happen and
the other 98% wonder what happened. Be part of the first 2% that plans what will happen and makes it happen, the
way you want to.